NLDS Game 5: Mets down Dodgers 3-2, advance to the NLCS
The New York Mets are going where almost nobody expected this season — the National League Championship Series. The Mets edged the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the NLDS, a tension-filled 3-2 victory that sets up a duel with the Chicago Cubs with a trip to the World Series on the line.
It wasn’t Yoenis Cespedes or David Wright that strapped their Mets to their back in Game 5. It was Daniel Murphy, the surprising star on a surprising team. He was responsible for every Mets run in one way or another. These Mets, they keep finding ways to win. It’s their first trip to the NLCS since 2006.
• Daniel Murphy was everything for the Mets. He had three hits, including a double in the first inning that put the Mets on the board and a homer in the sixth that broke a 2-2 tie. Oh, but that’s not all. The Mets’ second run came when Murphy singled to lead off the fourth, then advanced to second when Lucas Duda walked. But since the Dodgers were in a shift to the right side of the field and no one was covering third, Murphy just kept on going. Travis d’Arnaud, the next Mets batter, brought Murphy home with a sac fly. It was sneaky smart run creation.
• Justin Turner, who is essentially the Dodgers’ version of Murphy, had a great night too. He had three hits himself, including a single in the first inning that brought home Corey Seager for L.A.’s first run.
• Mets starter Jacob deGrom wasn’t as impeccable as he was in Game 1. He struggled early, especially in a rough first inning. There was some thought the Mets might give him the hook after two innings, but deGrom settled in, quieted the Dodgers and made it through six solid innings.
• Mets closer Jeurys Familia, who manager Terry Collins called upon for a six-out save. Yep, two whole innings. He’d never done that before, but he has now.
• The entire Dodgers lineup after the first inning. The Dodgers had four hits in the first inning (when they scored their two runs). Only two more came after that, and they both belonged to Turner. Specifically, the Dodgers had 0-fors from their No. 6-8 hitters.
• Lucas Duda continued to struggle for the Mets. He struck out twice in the game, giving himself 11 Ks in the series, which is a record for the NLDS.
In the bottom of the seventh, with Adrian Gonzalez on first as the tying run, Noah Syndergaard was on in relief and facing Turner, the hottest bat in the Dodgers’ lineup. Dodgers fans had seventh-inning magic on their minds, but Syndergaard had something else. He struck out Turner on four pitches — a 98-mph heater that was fouled off, a 99-mph heater that was fouled off, a 100-mph sinker that was fouled off, then a filthy 82-mph curveball that made Turner whiff.
Dodger-killer Murphy also hit two homers off Kershaw in this series, which means …
How rare was it for the Mets to beat Greinke? Consider this:
• A Mets vs. Cubs NLCS, which is an interesting matchup of two teams that weren’t expected to make the playoffs this season. But they both have intense fan bases and rough histories. This much is certain: one group of fans will be elated pretty soon. One key plotline: The young, power bats of the Cubs vs. the young, power arms of the Mets.
• Yet another disappointing Dodgers season. The biggest payroll in baseball couldn’t get it done in the postseason again. Since these are the $300 million Dodgers we’re talking about, just making the postseason isn’t enough. There’s an expectation to get to and win the World Series.
• Was this the end of Greinke’s time with the Dodgers? He can opt out of his contract after this season (and he’s expected to do so), which means there’s a possibility he’s not with the Dodgers next year. Not exactly how he wanted to go out, huh?
• Will Don Mattingly have a job in a few days? He’s been on the hot seat for a few years now and yet another postseason exit may spell the end of his tenure in L.A.
The Mets’ win sets up an intriguing NLCS matchup with the Cubs. The series begins Saturday at Citi Field in New Work at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Cubs send Jon Lester (11-12, 3.34 ERA) to the mound, while Matt Harvey (13-8, 2.71) will counter for the Mets. Game 1 airs on TBS.
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Mike Oz is the editor of Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz
